Platinum and Diamonds
by tavia-d
Summary: I hope I can keep him safe, and help him recover and move on. I’m not delusional. I know he will never forget what he went through. That will mark both of us forever."
1. Chapter 1 All Changed That Day

Chapter 1 – All Changed That Day

Exquisite, simply exquisite. White leather, platinum and diamonds. With a solitaire in the middle. It would look perfect on my neck. Perfect for my status as a…

I raise my eyes, and look at him. He's talking with the little woman behind the counter. She's showing him something. I can't see what, from this angle.

He feels my look, somehow, and he turns, locking his gaze with mine. His eyes glister and he smiles at me. I blush, and turn my look, again, towards the exquisite… collar.

That is the moment when I see the price. Ha… "See if you find something you like," Master had said when we entered the Muggle jewellery store.

He can buy me a thousand times over with the money this collar costs. Not that he paid anything for me, but…

Trust a Malfoy to set his eyes on the most expensive piece of jewellery in the store. An ex-Malfoy...

I remember that day like it happened an hour ago. I always knew that my father treated me somehow oddly, that I could never please him enough, but I never knew why.

Well… It had been revealed to me after my sixteenth birthday when my inheritance kicked in.

_I had been ill for a week. My body was sore all over, and nobody cared. Or, at least, that was what I thought._

_My mother came to me once, but, before she could say anything, my father stormed in and roughly removed her from the room. I heard her crying in the hallway, but she never came in again. It seemed that the house-elves were forbidden to speak to me, too. I felt too sick to question the matter, though._

_A week after my birthday, my… father, or rather my Sire, summoned me in his office. I could barely walk, and I was still in pain, but I really wanted some answers, and he didn't care how I felt anyway._

_He took my hand and cut my palm with his dagger, collecting the few drops of my blood in a bowl. Surprisingly, I didn't bleed much, and my wound began to heal more quickly than any wound I'd ever had. I was astonished, not understanding what was going on._

_Shock came over me when my Sire poured a potion I'd never seen before over the blood in the bowl, and became extremely angry when the concoction turned dark purple. He threw the bowl in the fireplace, where it shattered into a thousand pieces._

_When he faced me, he was fuming._

_"I want you to leave this house immediately!" he ordered, spelling his desk clean. His voice was harsh, and he didn't look at me._

_"But Father, why?" I dared to ask, and all hell broke loose._

_"I am not your father!" he shouted._

_All our acquaintances told me I had my father's eyes, and until then it was what I believed, too. Not anymore. When he looked at me, his gaze made me shiver, and I knew I could never look at anyone with so much hate no matter what. His grey eyes looked metallic; I could almost distinguish the shape of the daggers they were throwing at me._

_He clenched his jaw and spat through grinding teeth, his eyes glittering with malice._

_"You are not my son. From this moment on, you are disinherited and disowned. You are not a Malfoy anymore. You've always disappointed me, and now this?"_

_"Father, what's going on?" I asked, frightened._

_"What's going on?" he snapped, mocking me._

_I felt tears clouding my eyes for the first time since I'd walked into his office._

_"What. Is. Going. On? We have a fault in our flawless line of pure-bloods. A hidden fault. It was so perfectly hidden, nobody knew about it for more than fifteen generations. Trust my own heir to develop it, and display it for all to see!"_

_"W...What?"_

_"You... You are an animal. Lower than that. A concubine. A sex slave." He looked at me with disgust and continued, "You are a disgrace to this family, and I no longer consider you a Malfoy. Get out!" A mischievous grin appeared on his lips. "Or, maybe not!"_

_Suddenly, I froze. The terror crawled all over me. I tried to turn and run, but, before I could reach the door, I heard him shouting "Stupefy!", and I fell._

_In less than five seconds, I was handcuffed to the leg of the nearest chair, sitting in a heap on the floor. Another swirl of his hand made my clothes vanish, leaving me completely naked._

_He was hovering over me, whispering, "Sex slave, beauuuutiful sex slave."_

_I couldn't stop my tears from falling anymore._

_"Father, please stop ... Pleeeease!"_

_The feeling of his dragging finger from my knee up my thigh made me shiver. I tried to hide behind the chair, but he grabbed my chin tightly, his fingers bruising my jaw line. Bending over, he licked the tears from my cheeks._

_I felt humiliated, I wanted to die on the spot. How could he do something like that to his own son? His son... He didn't consider me his son anymore. He'd said so, just before he Stunned me. But how could someone change so suddenly? Looking at him, I realized it wasn't such a sudden change at all. Thinking of the way he'd always treated me, I had to admit that he'd probably suspected a positive result from my blood test since my birth. My head was spinning, and the stabbing from my heart wouldn't let me breathe properly. No one had told me anything about this, ever. I tried to wipe away the wet traces my Sire had left on my cheeks, and suddenly, I felt blemished. I wanted to rip off my skin in the places where he'd touched me._

_Ha… If I only knew… it happened so fast! Or, maybe not that fast, but I was so sick about everything that my mind wasn't functioning well enough to make the distinction._

_The Floo flared, and my Sire's cronies entered the office: Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson…_

_After they all sat comfortably, each with a drink in their hands, my Sire, pointing at me, turned to them and said, "This... is my sex slave Draco. It's yours for the night. Enjoy!"_

_And they came. Grinning. With hungry eyes. Drooling like a pack of wolves surrounding their prey._

_Tears ran from my eyes without stopping, and my lips chanted a mantra, "No, no, please, please stop!"_

_Their fingers were burning my skin, and I began to feel so soiled and defiled. I prayed to all deities to wake me up from this nightmare. This was not happening. It couldn't._

_They uncuffed me and lifted me from the floor. After they sent me sprawling spread-eagle on my belly, on the conference table, I looked at my Sire. I couldn't believe it. He was sitting in his chair, watching, with a wide grin on his face._

_"Father, please make them stop! Please!"_

_He just took a sip from his glass and returned to watching us, somehow pleased. I had to close my eyes, sobbing silently. And then I felt one of them spreading me, and touching my entrance._

_"Noooooo! Ahhh!"_

_Another pulled my hair, forced my mouth open, and shoved his dick in, gagging me._

_I couldn't move. I couldn't shout. I wanted to die. And, in that moment, the fact that my Sire licked my tears seemed like a child's play._

_And then… I felt it. Splitting me in two. Fuck! It hurt so much… it burned like hell. I couldn't breathe. I tried to fight it, but the pain got worse. Immediately, he began to viciously thrust inside me, the movement impaling me upon the dick I had in my mouth, making it slide deep into my throat. I felt so nauseated, I thought I would pass out. As it turned out, I really did._

"You like it?"

The warm breath near my ear makes me shiver, and wakes me from my trance state. I nod, uncertain of my voice.

The little woman unlocks the window and takes out the collar.

My breath stops for a moment when my master leads me in front of the full length mirror and puts the jewellery round my neck. I feel his right hand lingering on my flat abdomen, while the other caresses my thigh. I look in the mirror, and I can't see the little woman anywhere; it's like she vanished, or maybe it's just my imagination.

I was right. The collar looks perfect on my neck. My master appraises me in the mirror, and he likes what he sees. I feel his lips kissing the spot behind my ear. He moves closer, if possible, never looking away from the image in front of him. I close my eyes, getting lost in the sensation his aroused body is raising in mine.

"You are so beautiful," I hear him whispering in my ear, and I open my eyes. What I see leaves me breathless. Oh… the promises in those green eyes…

TBC


	2. Chapter 2 Images In a Pensieve

**Chapter 2 - Images In a Pensieve**

I'm doomed... Looking in the mirror, and taking in the image in front of me, is the only phrase that comes to mind. I'm soooo doomed.

He closes his eyes when I kiss the spot behind his ear, and he gets lost in the sensation. The way his body fits aligned with mine makes my eyes sparkle with desire.

"You are so beautiful," I whisper in his ear, and, in that moment, he opens his eyes, and I feel his breath stopping.

Oh, no! Please don't smile!... Please don't sm... Please d...

He smiles... and he blushes... and he lowers his gaze still smiling shyly, and I...can't think straight anymore.

Have I ever mentioned I'm doomed??...

The funny thing is that he has no clue of what he's doing to me. Or has he?

He's a Slytherin, and, with a Slytherin, you never know. Well... he's not the same person he was in our fifth year, but he is healing. Slowly healing, but healing nonetheless.

From time to time, I see glimpses of his old self, not many yet, but they exist, making me confident that he is still there somewhere under the debris, and, maybe, in time, knowing that I am here for him, protecting him, he will feel safe enough to make his nightmares end. And… Who knows? Maybe one day, that shy smile, that makes my heart go wild, will change into a real one, that will light up the room he is in, and that will definitely make my blood boil.

I hope I can keep him safe, and help him recover and move on. I'm not delusional. I know he will never forget what he went through. That will mark both of us forever.

Flashes are dancing before my eyes while I look at him in the mirror.

_At the end of June, Narcissa Malfoy came at no. 4 Privet Drive to see me. I was stunned. Narcissa Malfoy in the Muggle world! When my uncle called me downstairs, I couldn't believe my eyes. Well... I couldn't believe my eyes for two reasons. First: a haughty aristocrat witch was right here in the Muggle world, and second: how did she get here? I was supposed to be safe in my relatives' house (or so Dumbledore said), and yet, the mother of my archenemy, the wife of one Lucius Malfoy - right hand of Valdemort - was right here, in my house, and she was pretty pissed off too._

"May I have a word with you Mr. Potter?" she said looking fiercely at my uncle who took in a breath but didn't say anything. He was, obviously, not pleased with her visit.

I never thought I would say this, but when she turned, and looked at me, I had a strange feeling of… safety? For a few seconds, incredible as it might sound, I saw emotions in those cold eyes. Emotions that made me curious to know if the despair I thought I saw was real. So, I accepted, and led the way to my room.

"How did you find me?" I asked after we walked in, and closed the door behind us.

"Severus," she replied, and after casting a privacy spell, her mask crumbled. Silent tears were rolling down her cheeks, and she collapsed on my bed.

"Please save him!" she barely whispered, raising her pleading gaze towards me.

"Who? Snape?" I frowned annoyed.

"No," she said shaking her head. "Draco. Please help my son. Please save him!"

Sections from the definition of the concubine, she made me read, were still vivid in my mind: "destined to fulfil the wizard's sexual desires", "it is not considered more than an object or a toy", "it has no rights", "it belongs totally to its master".

However, more vivid were the images I had seen in the Pensieve.

At first, I had been reluctant even to listen to her, but after a while, I realized that I couldn't say no. How could I refuse a pleading mother? God! All that coldness the Malfoys' showed the world... where did it go? It's true, she was a Black not a Malfoy, but, being married to one for so many years, made her learn how to hide her feelings as well. But, then... there in my room, wasn't Narcissa Malfoy, not even Narcissa Black. In my room was just a mother frightened for her son… pleading for him… willing to do anything to know him safe.

_My lips were dry and my hands were shaking. I took the vial and poured its contents into the Pensieve._

I looked at the swirling substance a little unnerved; 'He was his father for Heaven's sake!' I was chanting in my head. 'It can't be that bad.'

I was taken aback by the darkness that surrounded me when I sunk into the Pensieve, and I remembered Narcissa's hysterical laughter from the moment she had given me the vial.

Fuck! Was this Draco's room? And then I heard a soft sob and a chain rattle, and my blood froze. Chains and a perfectly dark room. Terrifying! This couldn't be Draco's memory. Could it? Did Narcissa lie to me?

Suddenly, I heard a loud pop, and a house-elf appeared with a torch in his hand and a malicious grin on his lips. He looked sinister in the dim light.

"Master sent me to bring you to him." He grabbed the chain at his feet and pulled. "Move slave!" he shouted.

My breath stopped when a creature, vaguely resembling a human being, emerged, barely crawling, out of the shadows.

"Hurry! I haven't got all day!" the house-elf said, pulling the chain again. The harsh tug made the creature stumble and whimper. "Master said I have to heal and clean you before I take you there. Not that I would want to. I like the way you look right now."

I was horrified. This couldn't be Draco. Dry blood covered his naked body. Not even a little patch from his white skin was visible. All his body was a big ugly bruise. He had burns in some places, deep cuts covered his chest and legs, and whiplashes marks were all over his back and arms. The collar and the cuffs were cutting through the skin of his neck, wrists and ankles.

I was staring with my mouth open, and I couldn't process the view in front of me.

The house-elf raised a hand, and Draco began to scream and squirm in pain, and in that moment I realized that the nightmare I thought I was in, wasn't a nightmare at all. This… was his memory!!

After the house-elf made a complicate pattern with his hand, the dry blood vanished. Thirty seconds or so later, his injuries began to heal, and in another two or three minutes, he looked like Draco again, exhausted though, and broken, and… tiny.

"Yes, that will do," the house-elf growled, and after a loud pop the scenery changed.

"Aahaa!! Yes. The entertainment is here!" Lucius said, sipping from his drink, and smiling widely.

His cronies applauded enthusiastically. There were five wolfish grinning faces that didn't predict anything good.

The house-elf gave Lucius the chain Draco was tied to, and left. For a few moments, the Master of Malfoy Manor stared at his son. I turned, and looked at him too. He was on his knees. The tears were falling down his cheeks, and his grey eyes, usually fiery and deep, were dull and red rimmed. He was looking ahead, at nothing in particular, his gaze hollow. Lucius grabbed his arm, and threw him towards the others. He landed in an unmoving heap. They took Draco from where he fell, and dragged him to the middle of the room. There, was a kind of device, a sort of wheel with lots of straps, hooks, cuffs and chains. The gag they put in his mouth, some kind of ball with a leather strap, was tied far too tight, considering his whimpers.

"Crabbe, Goyle, take off his cuffs and lift him on the wheel!" Lucius ordered.

Draco went limp into their arms. They tied his arms and legs spread eagle. Then, an iron circle was fixed around his waist to hold him in place. He was hanging there with his head bent, and his eyes closed. Tears never stopped rolling silently down his cheeks.

"So, little slave…" one of them said. I didn't know his name. "You decided to play vegetable today? Hum?" He yanked Draco's hair and his head shot up. "We don't like to play in silence. Do we?"

"Well, that can be easily overcome. Nott, why don't you go and fetch the Cat o'Nine Tails. Maybe its claws will convince him to sing for us." Lucius demanded. "Meanwhile, Parkinson, tighten the waistband a little."

"My pleasure!" Parkinson said and he began to tighten it.

I saw thin red stripes beginning to form under it, and shocked, I realized that it was blood. Shit! The waistband had thorns on the interior, which at this moment were penetrating his flesh, injuring him. Draco was panting, and started to sob softly.

"Enough! Let me handle it!" Nott shouted out.

Parkinson and Lucius took a step back, grinning. Crabbe and Goyle joined them.

The swishing of the whip scratched my hearing. The sound of the leather knots connecting with Draco's skin made me cringe. Draco's breath became laboured, and he squeezed his eyes.

The cat's knots were digging in his flesh mercilessly. From the third blow, he began to whimper louder with each blow. I felt tears in my eyes, and I lost the count of the blows. At some point, his whimper became a continuous cry muffled by the gag.

"Ah! That's much better," Parkinson said, and then signalled Nott to stop. "Now… be a good little whore, and scream for me!" and he walked around the wheel discarding his robe.

He settled himself behind Draco, and he began to… Oh, no! Was he unzipping his trousers?

I had no time to question his actions anymore. After he mounted the two step-staircase at the back of the wheel, with one harsh gesture, he grabbed Draco's hips, and forced his cock inside his unprepared hole. I froze. The sound that came from Draco's throat, despite being repressed by the gag in his mouth, made my hair stand on end. My eyes were open wide, his were shut tight. His breath was quick and irregular; I realized I wasn't breathing at all. Scarcely, I tried to take in a breath, to steady myself. It felt like the air couldn't penetrate my lungs.

After about five minutes or so of merciless thrusts, Parkinson came violently, biting Draco's shoulder to the bone.

"Ooh! Yeess! Good little whore. Tight and hot. Red fits you! Semen and blood… good combination, don't you think? Yeess!"

Draco was sobbing silently, hanging there with his head bent in submission. Streams of white and red liquid dripped from his arse.

The meaning of his words hit me like a Bludger. Fuck! He tore Draco's pucker when he forced his cock in. I felt an unpleasant sort of ache in my own arse. Could a memory give the one watching it physical pain? It seemed so. In that moment, I had the urge to take out my wand, and curse the bastard, but it revealed to me that they were not solid, and that everything already happened. My knees buckled, and I fell in a heap.

"Yes! Nice view," Crabbe said. "But, you see, it would be nicer if he had an erection."

"Till now I never saw him having one," Goyle complained. "Maybe his prick is dysfunctional."

Ha…Right… This was insane. Was he mad? How could anyone have an erection with that kind of pain? It was ludicrous.

Draco's head jerked when Goyle squashed his bollocks in his big fist and he began to scream again.

"If it doesn't work properly, maybe we should remove it." And he took a long, thin, sharp dagger out of his robe's pocket.

I never saw someone's eyes pop out of their head with fear the way Draco's eyes did. He was panting uncontrollably and he began to shake his head frantically when Goyle caressed his prick with the dagger, scratching slightly, just to test its sharpness.

I felt my eyes opening so wide, a "Nononono, he can't do that!" came more like a growl from my throat, and instinctively I covered my genitals, feeling a ghostlike knife, touching my own skin.

_Fortunately, Nott stopped him before he could do more damage. I breathed out, somehow relived, even I didn't believe for a moment that Draco was completely out of danger. The others looked at him questioningly._

"That would be a bad idea," Nott said, grinning mischievously. "In your place I wouldn't punish him just once for offending us like that. I consider, declining us the pleasure of denying him to cum, a great affront and I take it personally. If you cut his prick, it's final. Have nothing to play with after that. So, I think that making his dysfunctional organ a pincushion would be much more appropriate."

All five of them began to laugh.

"Brilliant idea! Who wants to play?" Parkinson asked.

"You already fucked him. It's my turn, so you four can play with his prick while I'm on the other side!" Nott said smiling.

"Fine. I'll bring the pins. But, after you finish, is MY TURN!" Goyle yelled while Nott was circling the device.

By the time Goyle came back with a set of "pins" that looked more like upholstery needles, Draco's wrists and ankles were raw, and his waist was bleeding abundantly.

"Oho! Little whore. Stop fighting your destiny," Nott said gripping Draco's hair in his fist, and pulling back hard. "What do you say? Wouldn't be nice to hear his voice for a change?" he asked, and he unfastened the gag, throwing it away.

Draco seemed to breath better, but the terror in his eyes was tangible. Crabbe chose a needle, and took a step forward. "No, please… stop…" Draco's voice was hoarse and husky.

"Mmm…Yeess!" Nott moaned. "I like the way you plead, whore." And he slapped Draco's buttocks viciously, ordering, "Plead for me!"

Draco yelled loudly. "P…please… s… stop…," he managed to say through violent sobs.

Crabbe's grin widened. "He sounds so nice! But I rather hear him scream."

Draco's breath quickened. He heard Nott unzipping his trousers behind him, and his tears intensified.

"That can be rectified." And, being true to his word, Nott steadied Draco's hips and plunged inside him savagely.

I never knew a human's cry could sound like that. I covered my ears, and I tried to divert my eyes from the scene, but I failed.

"Ahhh…," Nott sighed. "Such a tight pucker."

"And it will become even more so," Goyle said laughingly, holding the lighted candle.

"Yes. When someone is in pain, tends to squeeze one's asshole," Parkinson provided helpfully.

"Right. I think the needle is ready," Crabbe stated after a short examination of the heated needle in his hand.

Draco glared at the red-hot metal with wide eyes. I knew that the terror I saw in them would haunt me for days. But what won't let me sleep at night was the wail that followed. It wasn't human anymore. I had the impression that my heart stopped.

This time, besides covering my ears, I managed to close my eyes too. I couldn't look. I wanted to move, but my legs didn't listen to me.

'Please, please, please,' I was chanting in my head, 'Make them stop or let me out of here. It can't be true, it's just a nightmare.'

But I knew better.

I took in a deep breath to steady myself and be able to concentrate, and get out of the Pensieve. Instead, I began to gag from the smell. I couldn't breath anymore. What smelled so nasty?

In that moment, it struck me: burned flesh. Draco's burned flesh. Oh… My… God…!

Suddenly, I feel a squirming in my arms, and I hear a little whimper. When I open my eyes, I see Draco's image in the mirror in front of me. His face is bloodshot, and he is panting. I realize that I have my hand clenched on his waist.

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry," I say releasing him. "Are you ok? Did I hurt you?"

He relaxes a little, and, still panting, he nods. "Yes. I couldn't breathe very well for a moment, but I'm ok. Don't worry."

I sigh, and smile. "Ok. Let's take the collar off, and …" Unfastening it, my eyes search the door. I see what I'm looking for, and I my smile widens. "I have a surprise for you."

"For me?" he asks looking at me incredulously.

"Yes," I say turning him so he can see the shop's door.

He stops breathing. I really have to restrain myself from doing this. I don't want him to die from lack of air because I'm startling him with all sorts of surprises, no matter how good my intentions are.

He looks at me questioningly, fortunately taking in a breath, even unsteady as it is, his eyes clouded with tears.

I whisper, "Go," and unwanted tears are gathering in my eyes too. Sappy, but what can I say…

He turns, and almost stumbles in his haste to reach to the door.

"MUM!"

"My baby Dragon"

They cry, and fall into each other's arms. I smile to myself, and go slowly to the counter.

"Hello!"

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Did you like the collar?" the little woman asks from behind the counter, reaching for it.

I give her the jewellery, and rummage through my pockets for a while. I take out the box she gave me earlier.

"I love the collar, and I would like to buy it. And, if you please, I would like to change the bracelet with a matching one."

"Platinum and diamonds too, then?" she asks smiling widely.

Of course, she's smiling. One feels one's head spinning only looking at the price.

I nod, and try to mirror her smile.

"If you wait just a moment, I have exactly what you're looking for."

While waiting, I turn, and look at Draco and his mother. She is caressing his hair, still holding him tight. He is melting in her arms. He has his eyes closed, and he looks happy, like a toddler cradled in his loving mother's embrace. I feel a pang in my gut. Envy? Jealousy?

I don't have time to dwell upon the feeling. The seller is trying to get my attention, and she's got it. She was right. The bracelet is exactly what I'm looking for. After making the arrangements for the bracelet's engraving, we finalize the purchase, and I am off.

No. The feeling in my gut is neither envy nor jealousy. More like sadness. I wish I had a mother like that. I like to think my mother loved me this much. Taking in the view, I realize I'm happy for them. He really needs someone like that right now. I reach the "happy couple", and I smile at them, content.

"Thank you," Narcissa whispers. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"I might have some idea," I say with a witty smile on my lips.

TBC.


	3. Chapter 3 P1 The Most Important Thing

Chapter 3 - The Most Important Thing

* * *

_Fear slowly took over me. Nobody would give me any explanation about what was happening to him._

_The family healer said that he had something contagious, but his answer was evasive, like he was trying to hide something and he didn't know how._

_Strange. As far as I knew, he had been in perfect condition before he collapsed during his birthday party. I tried to see him, but the room he was quarantined in had heavy wards I had never encountered before. Everything about his illness seemed suspicious, especially when it was common knowledge that sixteen had always been an awkward age for a wizard. Usually at this age, the Magical Heritage makes itself known._

_But that couldn't be the case. He was a pure-blood, and I'd never heard rumours about any mixed marriages with magical creatures in this particular family bloodline._

_On the other hand, Lucius Malfoy had always been a man of many deep, dark, extremely well-hidden secrets._

_I intended to confront him about this, but my first priority was to see Draco. As I approached his room, I saw that the door was open. I ran to his bed and knelt by it. He'd been there for five days already. Sweat drops were gathered on his forehead, his eyes were closed and sunken deep within their sockets and his pale, translucent skin was marbled with blue veins. Tears gathered in my eyes. He looked so fragile, so breakable. I leant closer and kissed his eyebrow. His eyelids flickered open, and he stared at me with a blurry gaze._

_"Mum, what's happening to me?" he barely whispered._

_"I told you to stay out of this room! Get out, now!" Lucius's voice bellowed from the door frame. I didn't move. How did he get there so fast? The next thing I felt was his fingers wrapping around my arm before he almost threw me into the hallway, slamming the door behind him._

_"Don't you ever go in there!"_

_"And why shouldn't I?" I demanded, finally managing to restrain my tears. I looked at him frowning as I quizzically tilted my head and crossed my arms over my chest. "Is there something I should have known that you'd conveniently forgotten to tell me about before our wedding?" I inquired in a harsh voice._

_He paled so much that the skin on his face seemed like parchment. Grabbing my arm once more, he began to drag me towards his office._

_I jerked myself free. "Stop manhandling me like that!"_

_"Get in, and keep your voice down!" he said, looking at me, before he opened his office door._

_He marched into the office. I followed him, almost cracking the door when I forcefully pushed it shut._

_"Spill it, Lucius!"_

_After taking out his wand, he muttered a locking charm and a privacy spell on the door. He poured himself a drink and gulped it down nervously._

_"I might have left something out..."_

_"What?" I spat._

_"Sixteen generations ago, my ancestors, in their deep desire to gain physical beauty, altered our blood with that of a concubine."_

_"They did what? You're a concubine? And you had thought it appropriate to keep that from me?"_

_"I'm not a bloody concubine! Except for the beauty, the other features had never developed in fifteen generations. I'm not a concubine!" Lucius repeated himself through gritted teeth. The glass he was holding shattered in his hand._

_"What about Draco?"_

_"He's..." Lucius sighed._

_"He's transforming. He's developing the other features. That's why he's sick, isn't he? Do you realise what you've done? You poisoned my son; you poisoned my heir, my blood. The Blacks have been pure-bloods for hundreds of generations and now you've soiled my line," I raged. "You pathetic excuse for a husband! I should spit on you, but you don't deserve the effort." I took out my wand, blasted the office door and stormed out._

_A concubine. My son, a concubine. I ran through the Manor's long halls for what seemed like hours, not knowing where I was running to or what I was running from. When I stopped, I realised I was in the nursery. Why was I there? I couldn't seem to think anymore. All I managed to do was sit down in the rocking chair and mourn the loss of my son._

_The notion of time was lost to me as I stayed locked in that room. I didn't want to see anybody. The house-elves brought me food and tried to make me eat, but I couldn't seem to feel the taste of it._

_At first, I had been angry at Lucius for tricking me into marrying him when he very well knew his condition. Then, after a day or so, I began to feel furious with myself for giving birth to a concubine. My pure-blood upbringing, full of rules, standards and prejudices, forbade me to look at a concubine in any other way than the way I'd been taught to. The __**concubine**__ was declared in the Ministry's registers as "material goods in private property with the title of __**sex slave**__" and "its Master's word and wishes are more powerful than any law". My son, my only heir, was material goods in private property… I couldn't bear the thought of it._

_After two more days, I remembered that my grandfather had owned a concubine. Each time I had visited him, I had stared at his sex slave. It was a girl with dark-blonde hair and brown eyes. At the time I couldn't tell her age, but she had been fairly young._

_What had remained scarred in my mind were her eyes. I'd never seen, in my whole life, sadder eyes than those. Her dull, hollow gaze and submissive posture had shocked me every time I had visited my grandfather._

_That night, I'd fallen asleep with the image of her face burned into my mind. It had been a sleepless night, and when I awoke the next morning, my beliefs seemed less powerful._

_That whole day I tried to comprehend what was going on in my troubled mind and to analyse my feelings._

_When I went to bed, I couldn't sleep again. In the early hours of the morning, when I finally fell asleep, I had the most terrifying nightmare in my life the kind I hope never to have again._

_---- I saw the face of my grandfather's concubine in front of my eyes. Suddenly, the colour of her hair became lighter, almost white, her eyes shaded to grey, her jaw line distorted, and her skin became a haunting pale._

_Draco's face came into view. The only feature that did not change was the sadness. He had the same dull, submissive gaze, which had shocked me every time._

_And then, long forgotten images came to life: the first time I held him in my arms, his first steps, his first birthday, his first word, the first time I had to heal him after his first serious injury, the first time he flew a broomstick, the first time he climbed into my lap, put his little arms around my neck and whispered in my ear "I love you, Mummy!" ----_

_I woke up screaming, tears falling down my cheeks, and in that moment, I understood that nothing would ever make me turn my back on my son. First and foremost, I was a mother, and no pure-blood upbringing would make me deny my son. I had to get him out of the Manor. I had to keep him safe. I had to!_

* * *

  
Thank God that my maternal instincts took over.

It's morning, and I'm sitting in my comfortable armchair, twisting in my hands some piece of parchment one of the house-elves brought me a while ago. Lucius is delaying his arrival with another blissful day. Since I pulled Draco out of his clutches, he's been watching me like a hawk.

A light tapping is waking me up from my reverie. An owl is waiting to get in to deliver the little package, she has attached to her leg. A smile dances on my lips. I know this owl. It's Potter's.

I open the window and let the owl flutter in. She flies right off after I take the package. I open it with shaking hands. Papers. Strange papers. And a piece of parchment.

**Dear Mrs. Malfoy,**

**I hope this time nothing will go wrong, considering the fact that Lucius will be away for several days. Professor Snape supplied me with that information.**

**At noon, today, Draco and I will be at a Muggle jewellery store.**

**Headmaster Dumbledore was considerate enough to give me the coordinates of the closest Apparition point. You will find them, plus some Muggle money and identification papers, in the parcel I sent you. I'm not sure if you will need everything, but better safe than sorry.**

**See you at noon.**

**Respectfully,**

**Harry Potter.**

I will see my son… today… finally. I laugh and cry and laugh again.

"My darling baby! Oh… I will always remember the day when I realised you were the most important thing in my miserable life. How could I've been so blind for so long and take you for granted?"

_

* * *

  
I didn't know how long I had been sleeping that dreadful night. When I woke, trying to calm myself I got out of bed went to the window and opened it. My heart was still pounding hard. After I took a deep breath of fresh, air I began to feel a little better. I looked at the pendulum on the fireplace. It couldn't be! Just three hours until dinner? I had slept through most of the day! Wiping the tears from my face, I left the nursery determined to enter Draco's room at any cost._

_When I got there, I panicked. His room was empty. I had to find out where he was and fast!_

_Lucius had to know. In a hurry, I almost reached his office. Almost._

_"Narcissa!" I heard someone calling, and I stopped, turning reluctantly to face him._

_"Severus! What are you doing here?"_

_He looked up and down the hallway as if he was afraid we might not be alone. "May I have a word in private, please?"_

_I tried to tell him it wasn't an appropriate time, but he looked at me in a way that made my objection die on my lips. "Fine! Is the library private enough?"_

_When we entered the library, I sat in an armchair with a huff. He paced for a few seconds then he turned towards me._

_"In the last three days or so, I've heard some rumours. I came to ask Lucius about them, but I'd rather talk to you."_

_"Oh!" I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm listening."_

_I scrutinized him with an impatient gaze. Not knowing where Draco was made me feel like Severus was pointlessly wasting my time._

_"Is it true," Severus began, "...that Draco…?"_

_"Yes!" I spat irritated. "It's true. What? Are you annoyed that they all had a joyful time with him, and Lucius didn't invite you to the party?" I almost yelled at him, jumping up from the armchair._

_He closed his eyes and sighed, tilting his head._

_"Narcissa," he said as his eyes searched mine. His look was warm and a little sad, and his calm irritated me to the point of becoming unbearable. "I'm a half-blood. I don't particularly enjoy humiliating any magical creature, especially when said magical creature is my godson."_

_"But I recall that your pure-blood relatives had sex slaves," I noted and looked at him questioningly._

_"That doesn't mean that I liked nor approved what they did," he answered._

_I hugged myself and swallowed the lump in my throat. Tears gathered behind my eyelids, and I desperately tried to keep them back._

_"Narcissa, do you know where Draco is?"_

_Hearing that question, I failed in holding back my feelings. "No," I sobbed. "I was coming from his room when we met. It was empty, and I was on my way to ask Lucius about it. Severus," I continued, "I have to take Draco away from here. Now!" Frantically I turned intending to leave the room._

_"No. No! Wait!" Severus cried. "Please, wait!"_

_"Why? Time is of the essence!"_

_"Yes, it's true. Time __**is**__ of the essence, but without a thorough plan you can endanger him more than you could ever imagine. Please, calm yourself and think. You are a Slytherin, not a bloody Gryffindor who acts first and thinks later of the consequences, when usually is too late to repair the damage."_

_I looked at him in bewilderment, though slowly, I began to calm down and see his reasoning._

_"Lucius is a devilish man," he continued. "You have to be cautious. Let's say, for argument's sake, that you Apparate Draco away and go into hiding. Tell me, besides the fact that both of you will be fugitives, having to constantly look over your shoulder and never having a peaceful moment, again... what would happen if Lucius finds you and threatens your life?"_

_"He would kill me, or both of us," I sigh._

_"And you think Draco would accept that? I can guarantee with some certainty that he would make a bargain with Lucius to save your life. He would rather accept humiliation and torture than see you dead."_

_I fell helplessly in the armchair and buried my face in my hands. "You're right!"_

_He knelt in front of me and took one of my hands in his own._

_"Narcissa, I know it's hard for you, but you can't rush into this head first. I'll talk to Lucius,–"_

_"But I--" I began to say, but he stopped me, putting his finger on my lips._

_"Look. I'll talk to Lucius. You are too tense, and you are liable to hex him right now."_

_"You bet," I muttered._

_"I'll find a way to make him tell me where Draco is. Meanwhile, try to find everything you can about concubines. I'm not sure I'll be able to talk to you again tonight, but I think you can visit me tomorrow at Spinner's End without raising any suspicion."_

_He put both his hands on my shoulders and looked determinedly into my eyes. "We will talk again tomorrow afternoon at five. During the morning, I want to check Hogwarts Library's Restricted Section. We have to know the smallest details about concubines - their status, the laws referring to them – to be sure Lucius won't be able to take Draco back. Even the most insignificant detail may help. Please, try to calm yourself and think straight. Otherwise, Draco has no chance to be safe ever."_

_I nodded. Oh! I was so tired, all and I wanted to do was to crawl back into bed and cry, but he was right. If I wanted to help my son, I had to pull myself together._

_After he'd left, I tried to concentrate on the task at hand. I didn't find much though. For a while, I felt desperation overwhelming me. It wasn't fair. I had to find something to help my son!_

_The next day, my research was just as fruitless and my frustration continued to grow._

_I did my best to avoid Lucius, so I managed to Floo for Spinner's End without alerting him._

_When I stepped out of Severus's fireplace, I saw him sitting morose in his armchair._

_"What happened?" I asked panicked._

_"The situation is worse than I had predicted, but there is good news, too."_

_While he poured himself a glass of firewhisky, I sat on the couch facing his armchair. I politely turned down his offered drink. My head was spinning already._

_"The good news is," he continued, "not as great as I would like. First of all, I managed to find out that, at the end of this month, Lucius will leave for five days, starting with the 26th. So, we'll have the opportunity to get Draco out of the Manor. Second, yes, I know where he keeps Draco."_

_"Severus, you do realise you're killing me… slowly… and mercilessly, right?" I said, looking at him with eyes filled with tears. "Have you seen him?"_

_He nodded, averting his gaze from mine._

_"How is he?" I asked frantically._

_He didn't answer._

_"Look at me, Severus!" I shouted. "How is he?"_

_"What do you want me to tell you? What are you expecting to hear me say, Narcissa? You want to hear that he's okay and happy? I can't say that. I can't lie to you. He's not okay. He's…" he paused and sighed, closing his eyes and frowning. "I think you'd better see for yourself. Come with me. I'll put the memory from my meeting with Lucius into the Pensieve." With that said, he led me to his office._

_Once there, he touched his temple with the tip of his wand, drawing out a silvery strand._

_"I'll leave you to it," he told me after he'd put it into the Pensieve, and he left._

_A shiver went through my body, and I felt the fear trying to overwhelm me. I gathered all my courage and sank into the Pensieve._

_**

* * *

  
"Severus!" Lucius shouted. "How nice of you to stop by!"**_

_**"I hadn't been informed that you invited him, too!" snorted Nott, looking over his drink.**_

_**"I didn't and now that I'm thinking of it, I don't seem to remember why!"**_

_**"Perhaps it just slipped your mind," Severus suggested.**_

_**"Yes. Everything happened so fast." Lucius looked at him and continued, "Why don't you join us?"**_

_**"For what, exactly?" Severus asked, and without looking at any of them, went to the bar and poured himself a drink.**_

_**"Dinner," Lucius answered.**_

_**"Why not?" Severus said and made his way to one of the empty chairs. "If it doesn't take too long. I'll have to leave in an hour or so."**_

_**"Hmm… Are you otherwise engaged?" Parkinson raised an eyebrow.**_

_**Severus gave him a small smile from the corner of his mouth, "You may say that."**_

_**"Bravo! Who is she?" Crabbe asked.**_

_**"That's for me to know and for you to never find out!" Severus remarked snidely.**_

_**"Gentlemen!" Lucius said loudly, capturing their attention. "Let's focus on what we're here for. Dinner will be served in ten minutes, and I was thinking we should have an appetizer first."**_

_**"What do you have in mind?" Nott asked.**_

_**He put his glass on his desk and cried "Dipsy!"**_

_**After a loud pop, a house-elf appeared. "Yes, Master!"**_

_**"Bring the slave, but don't heal him."**_

_**"Yes, Master!"**_

_**"Oh… yes!" Goyle shouted. "Brilliant. House-elf magic is so painful for concubines, no matter what it's used for!"**_

_**I was standing in a corner wondering how Severus could be so calm. He'd been right. I wanted to hex them all. I had been in no condition to talk to Lucius that night.**_

_**A second loud pop caught my attention.**_

_**I looked in shock at the sight.**_

_**Near the house-elf, chained, naked and bloodied sat Draco, almost frozen. If I hadn't heard his soft whimper, I could have sworn he was dead. His beautiful white-blonde hair was dirty and tangled. He was sitting on his heels with his back crooked and his head nearly touching the floor.**_

_**What had they done to my son? I watched Severus for a brief moment. His face was livid, and he was the only one who didn't smile.**_

_**Oh! How I hated those five grinning bastards right then, those five men with no heart and nothing sacred in the world.**_

_**"Heal him," Lucius ordered the elf, "and after that clean him up, too."**_

_**"Yes, Master."**_

_**The house-elf raised his hand, and Draco began to scream and squirm. I couldn't watch. Closing my eyes, I turned my back to the room, covering my ears in a feeble attempt to block out the sound. I failed. My son's scream was like a dagger in my heart. And it seemed to last forever.**_

_**When it stopped, I turned to face the room again. Tears ran freely down my cheeks. Draco was sobbing softly and slowly curled into a tight ball.**_

_**"Now we can dine," Lucius said contentedly.**_

_**How I wanted to curl my fingers around his neck and squeeze until his eyes popped out.**_

_**The food appeared on the conference table in the middle of the room.**_

_**Ignoring Draco, they all sat down and began to fill their plates. They ate in silence for a few minutes. I felt a shiver run down my spine as they began to stuff their faces, grinning widely. Only Severus was pushing his food around his plate, deep in thought.**_

_**"Tell me, Lucius," he said suddenly, startling everyone, "how come you ordered your house-elf to bring the slave? It's true I'd never owned a slave, but as I recall from the days I had spent with my pure-blood side of the family, they liked to bring the slaves themselves, dragging them through the Manor's hallways to the destination. Displaying them for the guests and the house residents in the most humiliating way possible was an entertainment of its own."**_

_**"He's right, you know!" Nott said. "Why can't we go and fetch him?"**_

_**"Yes! Make him cry and beg and squirm all the way from his cell?" Crabbe asked.**_

_**"Because his cell in the dungeons is too far from here. We are in the western wing as you all know, and his cell is at the eastern end of the house!"**_

_**All made disappointed faces, and I could hear questions like "That far?" and "Why that far?"**_

_**"Besides," Lucius continued, "I managed to put up some very old and very strong wards; wards that even the one who casts them can't take them down if some required conditions are not met."**_

_**"Can't you Apparate inside the cell?" Goyle asked.**_

_**"That's the beauty of it. No known wizard could ever get in. Neither can magical creatures except house-elves. Only house-elf magic works inside the cell," Lucius explained.**_

_**"So, house-elves can get in?" Crabbe asked.**_

_**"Yes."**_

_**"And wizards can't?"**_

_**"Exactly."**_

_**"What about Draco?"**_

_**"He's not a wizard. 'It' is a concubine, and 'it' was already in when I put up the wards."**_

_**"Oh! Right!"**_

_**"As interesting as I find your conversation, I'd rather entertain myself," Parkinson stated. "Doesn't your slave eat anything? Slave! Aren't you hungry? Here! Have some food!" He took a bare chicken bone and threw it, hitting Draco in his face.**_

_**The five of them started to laugh, and Crabbe and Goyle followed Parkinson's example. Draco tried to protect himself from the projectiles, but to no avail.**_

_**A few moments later, Nott got up from his chair and approached Draco, examining him.**_

_**"It seems he's not hungry, or maybe he doesn't like the food you give him." With his left hand, he grabbed Draco by the hair and pulled him up from the floor. "Maybe you'd like to eat something else."**_

_**Draco, frightened, shook his head.**_

_**"Lucius, why isn't your slave hungry? Did you already give him something to eat?" Nott inquired, never letting go of Draco's hair.**_

_**"Yeees!" Lucius drawled. "He just ate my cock an hour ago."**_

_**"Well then, you had the main course," Nott said, turning to Draco. "How about some dessert, whore?" And with his free hand, he took out his wand and spelt his trousers open.**_

_**I couldn't stay anymore. I hoped this was all Severus intended to show me, because I just wanted out. Severus's fading voice reached my ears as I felt the pull from resurfacing the Pensieve, "Thank you, Lucius, for the lovely dinner, but I really should be on my way now. Enjoy the rest of the evening. Good bye!"**_

_

* * *

  
"I'm going to kill him! I'm going to kill them all! How could he do that to his own son, his only child?" I began to shout as I landed back in Severus's office._

_He put his hands on my shoulders and said, looking deep into my eyes, "Narcissa, I know it's overwhelming, but please, get a grip and try to focus."_

_I sighed sadly._

_"I had some time to think about what Lucius had told me," he continued after he convinced me to sit down on the couch. "It's not good. If the wards around his cell are that strong, we can't get him out. Have you heard anything about those kind or wards?"_

_"No. Lucius never mentioned anything about wards, or even about secret spells, but I'm sure the Malfoy family has its secrets as any other pure-blood family has. And even though we're married, no matter if it be from love or duty, he doesn't tell me everything. I'll search the Manor's library. There is a section with old Malfoy documents and journals. Maybe I'll find something there, but some secrets are passed on to the heir on the death bed."_

_"Okay. Be sure, while you're searching, to pay attention to anything that seems odd or out of place. We need to find out about as many secrets as possible. If we know Lucius's secrets, we can control him and protect ourselves," Severus said. "Tomorrow I'll ask Dumbledore if he had heard about those kind of wards and check the restricted section of the Hogwarts library, too. I'll let you know as soon as I find something. Have faith. We will get Draco out, somehow."_

_That evening, the next three days and most of the fourth, I spent my time searching the Manor's library. I used all the searching spells I knew. I found almost nothing about the wards and too little about concubines, but I realised that there were odd spots on the walls and floor. They were full of strange magic that pulled at my wand when I cast the searching spells. It was as if they were warded, and the wards felt familiar, like the wards I felt on the room Draco had been quarantined in. So… hiding places. I tried to take them down, but I failed. Maybe they were set to alert Lucius somehow, so, to avoid that, I didn't insist too much._

_The fourth day, Severus owled me, saying that he had arranged a meeting with Dumbledore, for the next morning._

* * *

  
Dumbledore… A small smile appears in the corner of my mouth. Yes! He helped a lot. And he is still helping, it seems. Muggle papers and Muggle money. Perhaps I'll buy my son something nice. I'd like to go shopping with him. Well, Potter will be there, too, but I don't mind that, not at all. I will have the chance to see them interact. See if Draco managed to accommodate with his new life, if he's well.

"Tempus," I sigh disappointed. It's only half past ten. I return my attention to Potter's letter and read it again.

Yes! Dumbledore certainly helped a lot.

_

* * *

  
"Good morning, Narcissa!" Dumbledore greeted me while I was stepping into his office with Severus in my wake._

_"Good morning, Headmaster!"_

_"Please take a seat and have some tea," he said. His eyes twinkled, and he smiled. Well... sort of. It was a rather sad smile, and I realised that the problem we were about to discuss was far from an easy one._

_The three of us exchanged worried looks, each hoping the other would start the conversation._

_"Ahem!" Dumbledore cleared his voice. "Narcissa, Severus has brought some disturbing news to my attention. I really understand what you are trying to do, but I also have to warn you that it won't be easy. You are trying to fight an ancient law. You do realise that, don't you?"_

_"He is my son!" I said and looked at him determined. "I'm not leaving him there. I'll get him out and live in hiding my whole life if there isn't any other way!"_

_"Draco will never accept that kind of life for you, Narcissa, and you know that!" Severus tried to calm me. "We found something in the restricted section."_

_"Yes," Dumbledore muttered thoughtfully, staring through me._

_After a few minutes that seemed like years, I began to squirm impatiently on my chair._

_"I know you are impatient, but I'm trying to put the information I'm about to tell you in a simpler form, so there are no misunderstandings," Dumbledore said and looked at me over his glasses._

_"Now! There are several ancient laws which rule the concubine's status and life. The concubine must be claimed by a wizard in order to become his slave. If a concubine is not claimed within six months from its sixteenth birthday, it becomes Ministry property and will be auctioned," Dumbledore explained. "Usually, a concubine's mother is also a concubine. I've never heard of a male concubine to sire a child with his female Master, but I know many male Masters who had impregnated female concubines. If the father of the concubine in question is also a concubine, then its mother's Master has the right to choose a Master for that concubine. Does that make sense to you? Have I made myself clear?" Dumbledore asked._

_I took in a deep breath, and I tried to put my thoughts in order._

_"Let me see! Draco hasn't been claimed yet. I… think. If Lucius won't claim him within six months, he will become Ministry property."_

_"Yes," Severus agreed._

_"But," I continued, "Lucius has the right to choose a Master for Draco. I don't get it. How is this helping us?"_

_"No," Dumbledore said, looking at me with that twinkle in his eyes. "I said that the Master of that concubine's mother has that right."_

_"Erm..." I frowned confused. "I'm that concubine's mother, and I don't have a Master."_

_"Because you are not a concubine," Severus stated the obvious. "On the other hand, Lucius is considered one, because the bad blood comes from his side of the family. So, you are the concubine's mother and your own Master. Meaning, you have the right to choose a Master for Draco."_

_I forgot to breathe for a moment. "Do you really mean that?"_

_"Yes!" both men replied._

_"Severus! Could you–" I began, but he stopped me right away._

_"No. I am a Death Eater, and if you want Draco to be safe, you have to take him as far away from the Dark Lord as possible."_

_I turned to Dumbledore, who shook his head and said, "The next thing I was trying to explain was that the claiming must follow a certain ritual to be valid, and at my age, really, Narcissa."_

_I was confused again and, looking at my face, anybody could see that._

_"Draco is a sex slave, so the claiming ritual is a sexual one," Severus answered my unspoken question. "We have thought a great deal about that, both of us," Severus continued, "and we have reached the conclusion that Draco's best chance of having a peaceful life is to be claimed by a half-blood or a Muggle-born wizard."_

_"But concubines are just for pure-blood wizards. I mean, I never heard about a half-blood wizard family to own a concubine," I said, somewhat worried._

_"Well, my dear," Dumbledore commented, smiling at me, "usually the half-blood families have a Muggle in their structure, and said Muggle, in general, is against the idea of having slaves. But no law forbids a half-blood wizard from claiming a sex slave."_

_"So, if we persuade a half-blood to take Draco as his sex slave, we can safely say that he will not be treated as bad as he would be in a pure-blood family," Severus completed Dumbledore's idea._

_"__**His**__ sex slave?" I asked. "Then you have someone in mind?"_

_"Yes. I'm not sure if you will agree with him, or if he will agree to have Draco as his slave, but if he does agree, even if you and Draco are not happy with the idea, we really do consider him the best choice," Dumbledore said, looking at me intensely._

_"Who is he?"_

_"Harry Potter," Severus answered._

_"But they are arch-enemies. They couldn't see eye to eye during school," I protested._

_"Draco has changed, Narcissa, and Potter is sensible enough to forgive and forget when he realises what is going on. I don't particularly like the brat, but I have to admit that he is not the kind of person who likes to torture others. Not even his arch-enemies," Severus said, putting a comforting hand on my shoulder._

_"But he's underage," I continued my protests. Why did I do that? Potter was the only wizard Voldemort was afraid of. What was wrong with me? "Right," I said hastily. "I understand the reason you picked him, but how can we overcome the fact that he is underage?"_

_"Searching the restricted section, I came over a reference that caught my attention." Severus took out a small book from his robe's pocket. He opened it and read, "'From the moment a wizard claims a slave, he is responsible for that slave. The slave has no free will, so it will be considered that all his doings are his Master's orders. If the wizard denies giving those orders, the slave will be punished. If the wizard admits giving those orders, the wizard will be held responsible. Taking in consideration the prior mentioned facts, if the Master is an underage wizard, that wizard will be emancipated so he can be responsible for the slave he claimed.' Usually, nobody holds the wizard responsible for anything his slave does, but it is in our interest to ask the Ministry for Potter's emancipation."_

_"You really have thought of everything, but… how can we be sure that Lucius, or one of his friends, hasn't claimed him already?" I asked worried._

_"I'm positive that none of his friends has claimed Draco, or he wouldn't be at the Manor right now, don't you think?" Severus replied. "And I'm sure they all believe Lucius is Draco's Master."_

_"On the other hand," Dumbledore continued Severus's idea, "a concubine can't claim another concubine. It doesn't matter that Draco developed more features than Lucius did. They share the same altered blood. As long as there is concubine blood, no matter how small the amount, the ritual's magic recognises it, and the bond doesn't occur."_

* * *

Chapter 3 - Part 2 - comming soon.

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW.


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